Compare towns
Lee vs Northbridge vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Lee | Northbridge | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Lee and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #3 of 120 in NH | #226 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Northbridge | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 10 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.